The evening with Dropkick Murphys at Alexandra Palace left me feeling like I was in a hall of brothers, sisters, comrades and friends. An essential part of this was The Scratch, and especially Gogol Bordello who brought something very special.
Gogol Bordello – The Scratch
Alexandra Palace, London – 8 February 2025
Words: Theo A-Mullis
Photography: Antonio Giannattsio
Gogol Bordello
The energy was punching from kickoff with this wild, unhinged New York punk project. Calling this punk, though? It doesn’t feel quite right. Like The Scratch before them, they casually discard any pretences of genre purism, diving into an upbeat, glorious whirlwind of ska, Romani, polka, Latin and punk.
Their opener, I Would Never Wanna Be Young Again, epitomizes this blend. Sergey Ryabtsev’s slicing violin and Erica Manicini’s accordion force you into movement as stillness becomes an impossibility. 
Next up, they bounded into Not A Crime. Again, the Romani and polka beats come to the fore with frontman Eugene Hutz leading the charge, backed by the ska beats of Pedro Erazo.
It was around this then that the crowd finally decided to join us for Wonderlust King, a wonderful, bopping track about wanting to get the fuck out and see the world. I can really relate, and the crowd were there with it.
The set reached its apex with the introduction on stage of New York post-punk duo Puzzled Panther. With nine on stage, now they dove into the popping Fire On Ice Floe. The popping beats had the crowd jumping in time with Hutz’s calls to “Dance, Dance, Round the Fire.” If I had one nearby, I most certainly would have. 
Puzzled Panther stayed up for From Boyarka to Boyaca. There is so much variety to this act, so much irreverent joy and mischief. The crowd had filled with fans.
I was new to this band, but I was surrounded by people who shared a moment that only a love of music can bring.
The atmosphere was defiantly positive as the set drew to a close with Start Wearing Purple and Pala Tute. 
The Scratch
Kicking off proceedings with a joyous boot to the brainpan were Dublin-based blenders The Scratch. Taking Heavy Metal and Irish traditional, they hack it apart and throw it out with reckless abandon. The blend of chugging bass, chord-heavy guitars and shouting vocals shouldn’t work in my head, but it really does.
The Scratch are not afraid to take some musical risks and the dedication to their craft shines through in their set. I just wish that they would been able to take more of the crowd with them. Daniel ‘Lango’ Lang on the cajon, percussion and lead vocals (Props! I can barely pat my head and rub my tummy) had solid crowd work, exhorting them to “Get’cha hips moving.”
There was some shuffling seen, but the band really deserved better. Standout tracks were the dark, desperate and nihilistic Blaggard and the tapping and rhythmic Latchico. These guys have been touring with DKM for a while now and deserve the spot.
I would love to see these guys at an intimate venue. That would be a rowdy night to barely remember.
